How responsive web design affects your website

Majority of websites today have these stylish layouts that can be viewed even in smaller mobile screens. You’ll notice it on your desktop, too, when you resize your browser window and see the site design adjust accordingly. These layouts are designed with responsive web design in mind, which makes your website more elegant and functional no matter what device you’re using.

The flexibility that comes with a responsive website eliminates the need for you to develop a separate mobile site. Google recommends it because it lessens its crawlers’ workload when sifting through websites, making the search engine indexing process faster and less complicated.

Responsive web design is not an entirely new concept. As dumbed-down versions of your regular desktop websites, mobile sites were supposedly more mobile-friendly. Despite this, it turned off users who opted instead for the desktop versions.

But with the advances of technology (especially in terms of usability, and faster wireless Internet connections), responsive web design has become a standard in mobile computing. And with the various changes in Google’s search engine algorithm being more mobile-inclined, more and more are creating their own fluid websites.

So, what’s in it for you? What can the “mobile first” approach offer to improve the overall user experience of your website? Here are some ideas.

1. Consistent optimized user experience

With a responsive website, you create a digital ecosystem that provides a consistent experience across your digital platforms. This offers a seamless experience for your users, boosting customer satisfaction and builds on your brand’s identity and reputation.

2. You’ll reach more mobile users.

The recent Digital in 2017 Global Overview report states that there are currently 4.92 billion mobile users around the world. If your brand is aiming to tap even a slice of this market, you’ll need to ensure that your site is optimized for them regardless of the device they’re using. A responsive web design can encourage repeat transactions and inspire loyalty among your customers, even encouraging them to recommend you to their friends.

3. Mobile first is management friendly.

With only one website to manage, companies with a mobile first principle in mind give time- and cost-efficient solutions to you. You update your website from one dashboard, streamlining content management, analytics monitoring, and customer engagements.

4. It offers better search engine standings

Google introduced mobile-first indexing last year, which indexes mobile sites first (if you have a separate mobile website) before their desktop counterparts. Mobile websites need to build their own search engine reputation; they doesn’t share their rankings with desktop websites. Having a responsive website eliminates content repetition and improves your site’s ranking.